Voices of the True Woman Movement ~ Chapter 7

God's Jewels

by

 Joni Eareckson Tada

     For those of you who don't know who Joni Eareckson Tada is, she is the Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, a Christian ministry that serves those who are disabled.  If you're interested in finding out more about Joni and Friends, you can go to http://www.joniandfriends.org/.  Joni's ministry came about through her own difficult experience as a teenager when she had a diving accident in 1967, at the age of 17, which left her a quadriplegic.

Image by Rachel Ford James via Flickr

     In this chapter of Voices of the True Woman Movement, Joni discusses how God hammers and chisels away at our own selfishness to mold us more into the likeness of his son, Jesus.  She states that suffering is the "textbook" that God uses to show us who we truly are, which is not always a pretty sight.  Many times, during our suffering and struggles, we respond unbiblically.  This is how we able to see what we're made of and know the truth about ourselves.

     We do, however, have a part to play in the sanctification process, which takes so much time.  Yet resisting what God is trying to accomplish in our hearts by becoming hardened and ignoring the work he is doing in our lives only "prolongs the process."  Our Heavenly Father does know what he's doing when he allows pain and suffering to come into our lives.  He knows what we need so much more than we do and is "bent on conforming us to the image of His Son."  She states, "God cares most, not about making us comfortable, but about teaching us to hate our transgression and to grow up spiritually - to love Him."  I think she'd be someone who knows this better than most people would considering the pain and suffering she's endured.  Our part to play in this - we can't just read God's Word, we must obey it, starting with the small things in our lives.  Changes will come through obedience in the small things. 

     Joni mentions that we should be thankful for God's sovereignty even when we don't understand why he has allowed certain things to happen in our lives.  She goes on to say, "For if He weren't in control, evil would come barreling at us uncontrolled."  This is something I had never given much thought to - that evil would completely overtake us if it wasn't for God controlling it.  

     I'll close with several statements from the end of the chapter.  "The simple formula for all of this is found in I John 2:5, where the Scripture says, 'Whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.  By this we may know that we are in him.'  This is how we receive our assurance of being 'in Christ' - by watching what happens when God, the Master jeweler, draws up obedience from the souls of women who otherwise would kick back, rebel, and exert independence.  The fruit of the submitted heart is the proof that God is working - and working for our good.  He is committed to do good towards you.  Just remember that His idea of good is to make you more like Jesus.  Both believers and unbelievers deal with ample does of pain, and disappointment.  Why not make certain that these ordeals you must face are fraught with meaning and purpose?  Why not cooperate with what God is doing in your life - preparing you through difficulty and hardship for His beauty to come shining through?  You are being fashioned into a jewel for the crown of your King."

     I'm trusting you're recognizing God's little kisses to you today.  Even the ones that are hard to swallow, the painful ones that God has allowed to come into our lives, should be seen as blessings.  I know that's not always the way I see those things, but if Romans 8:28 is true, I should see them that way.  Be encouraged - God has only good things in store for those who love Him and walk in His ways!

Blessings!

Voices of the True Woman Movement ~ Chapter 6

                         Image via Wikipedia

Choosing Faith in Seasons of Change

by Karen Loritts

     In this chapter of the book, Karen Loritts sheds light on how fear cripples us.  When fear is sweeping through our minds, it also brings along its "evil companions" to draw us away from the Lord even more and push us further into despair.  When fear is central in our minds, we are unable to focus on the Lord. 

     Karen discusses how to confront fear biblically.  She suggests saturating our minds with God's truths so that we won't be overcome by fear.  She mentions focusing on all the great things our Lord has done for His people and knowing He is fully capable of rescuing us from or working out our current situation. 

     Here are six things Karen recommends doing when fear strikes:

1. Submit (surrender) to God.
2. Resist the devil (and he will flee from you).
3. Draw near to God (through His Word and prayer).
4. Cleanse your hands.
5. Purify your heart.
6. Humble yourself.

     Karen's final statement in this chapter: "Let God be God, and fear will eventually bow down to its Conqueror."  All we need to do for that to happen is put our focus on God, not our current circumstances.

Blessings to you!

Book Review ~ Voices of the True Woman Movement, Chapter 5

                          Image via Wikipedia

Chapter 5 - A Woman After God's Own Heart

by Janet Parshall

     One question Janet Parshall poses to us as Christian women in this chapter is this:  "Can you accept His will for your life right now, even if it's not what you want?"  I don't know about you but that's a hard question for me to honestly sit and ponder.  It's a struggle to answer, knowing my answer is less than godly.  Yet Hannah, Samuel's mother in the Bible, had a different answer.  

     This chapter caused me to see Hannah in a totally different light than I'd seen her in before.  I never really stopped to think about the huge sacrifice Hannah made.  The courage Hannah had was not of her own human conjuring.  For me, the giving up of any of my children would mean immense pain.  I'm sure Hannah experienced pain but she had the courage to follow through with the commitment she'd made to the Lord before Samuel was even conceived.

     A few quotes from the last portion of this chapter:

• Hannah's story teaches us what it means to be a true woman of God.  She let go of her own plans.  She knew that God was in charge, not her.  She believed Him enough to say yes even when desperation had caused her to go out of her comfort zone and ask for the unthinkable.
• Motherhood is actually one of God's refining fires.  The reality of motherhood is that it's a place to learn surrender, letting go, trusting and believing that God is God.
• True women, like Hannah, trust God enough to believe He has great things planned for the babies He has given us - babies we give back to Him for His use, His kingdom, His glory.

       These are convicting thoughts which made me consider how God's glory is being shown through my own life.  Although Hannah had no idea that her story would last this many generations, she was faithful anyway.  We can learn a lot from her courageous acts.

Trusting you're recognizing God's little kisses to you today!

Repost - Little Girls Gone Wild

Little Girls Gone Wild: Why Daughters Are Acting Too Sexy, Too Soon

I couldn't help sharing this article as it really challenged me to think. Click the link above to read it yourself.

What are my parenting goals as a Christian? To bring up godly girls who love the Lord with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength, not hotties so that all eyes will be on them! Hope this article challenges you to think about all the many choices that are facing us today as parent!  May we, as Christian moms, have the courage to make the right decisions for our children, not the popular decisions.

Blessings!
Suzanne

My Faith Box

     Wow!  I'm so excited!  I just won a My Faith Box.  If you're interested in finding out more about My Faith Box, you can visit this website:  http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/2010/10/and-the-winner-is-2/.  This would be a great way to pass your faith on to your children.  I can't wait to get mine in the mail.  Thanks to Angela (and her sweet husband, Buddy) at Good Morning Girls!

Blessings!

Renewing your Spirit in God's Word

     As I have been pondering over the words I read this morning during my time with the Lord, I felt compelled to share my thoughts.  I am currently reading through the Bible chronologically.  At the beginning of this year, I made a conscious choice to read the Bible through chronologically so that the bits and pieces of the Bible would fall together in the order that they occurred.  For me, that means getting a clearer overall picture of the Bible.  If you're interested in reading the Bible through chronologically, there's a chart at this link:  http://www.esv.org/assets/pdfs/rp.chronological.pdf.  

          Image by jeffpyle                 via Flickr

     My friend, Mandie, shared with me recently what God has been impressing upon her heart.  We should not meet with the Lord expecting nothing.  We should be expectant when we meet with God - expecting Him to do great things in us through the reading of His Word, expecting Him to use His Word for the transformation of our hearts, and expecting Him to bless us through the verses we're reading.  We should look for God to show up during our quiet times and anticipate that He will accomplish great things when we read and meditate on His Holy Word.  Another thing my sweet friend mentioned is writing down the passages that God is really impressing upon her heart during her quiet time.  Later she can go back and be reminded of how the Lord blessed her during that particular meeting with Him.

     So this morning, I decided to implement my friend's ideas during my own quiet time.  I cannot tell you how blessed I was during this time spent with the Lord.  I had 90 minutes alone with God.  It was just Him and me and the chirping birds.  I felt like I'd received a breath of fresh air once I was finished.  I was genuinely renewed in my spirit.  To start with, I prayed and asked the Lord to show Himself to me through His Word.  He did.  Then, I expected to have some special verses revealed to me by the Lord.  They were.  I wrote down three passages in II Chronicles that really spoke to my heart this morning and I want to share them with you below.

II Chronicles 30:9 - If you return to the Lord, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate.  He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.

II Chronicles 30:18b-20 - But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God - the Lord, the God of his fathers - even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary."  And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

II Chronicles 31:21 - In everything that he (Hezekiah) undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.  And so he prospered.

     What did I hear God saying to me this morning? Basically this - He is faithful!  Although reading these verses in context would give you a much better picture of how they worked to penetrate my heart, I trust you will be blessed by God's faithfulness which is shown in these passages.  The verse that really hits the nail on the head is Hebrews 10:23 - Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.  How awesome that Biblical truth is!

     I was truly encouraged by my friend sharing with me and so grateful that she did.  What a blessing this little bit of information has been to my soul!  Thanks, Mandie!  Yes, Biblical truths and godly friendships...more blessings to be thankful to the Lord for.

Continuing to look for and recognize little kisses from God every day!

Book Review ~ Voices of the True Woman Movement, Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - You've Come a Long Way, Baby!

by Mary A. Kassian

     The title of this chapter came from a cigarette ad geared toward females in the late 1960s.  The lie that this ad was pushing and that women bought into during that time period was that they could decide for themselves what was right.  No other authority, besides themselves, could decide what was right or best for them, including God. Mary states that women have come a long way in the past fifty years but that's not necessarily a good thing.  We're definitely not living in the Leave It to Beaver times any more.

Image via Wikipedia

     So many of the world's ideals have drastically changed in the past 50 years due to the feminist movement.  Prior to this new thinking, most men and women agreed on and accepted the differences of the roles of men and women.  Mary writes, "Furthermore, for both men and women, their sense of duty and responsibility to family was greater than the pursuit of personal fulfillment."  This is one change that is completely evident in our society today.  Families today, many times, are living under the same roof, yet they all have their own personal pursuits separate from one another.

     Going back over this chapter, I found a few of Mary's quotes that really caused me to lament over where feminism has taken us...

• "In the new worldview, men are whiny, needy, not too bright, and totally unreliable."
• "Whether or not you know it or care to admit it, feminism is a philosophy that has profoundly affected virtually every woman, man, and child alive in the Western world today."
• Simone de Beauvoir, a female French philosopher in the 1950s, "proposed that in order to gain equality with men, women needed to get out of the home and intentionally deconstruct Judeo-Christian ideas about marriage, motherhood, and morality."
• American political activist and journalist, Betty Friedan, followed de Beauvoir's beliefs suggesting that "a woman could only be fulfilled if she had a life plan that included education, a career, and work that was of "serious importance to society." "
• "Once woman accepted this basic premise of needing and trusting no other authority than her own, she set her foot on a path that would rapidly take her - and ultimately the whole of society - in a direction diametrically opposed to the heart and purposes and ways of God."        

     While I disagree with this frame of thinking that originated around 50 years ago, many in our world today completely embrace it.  They have bought into the lie that external things can fill a void that only the God of the universe can fill.  "The heart of true womanhood is to understand and agree with the purposes of our Creator," Mary writes.  I concur.        

     If you are interested in finding out more about this book, go to http://store.reviveourhearts.com/voiceofthetruewomanmovement.aspx.  I have also reviewed the first two chapters which you can find at the links below:
     Chapter 1 - http://littlekissesfromgod.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-reviewvoices-of-true-woman.html
     Chapter 2 - http://littlekissesfromgod.blogspot.com/2010/07/book-review-voices-of-true-woman.html.

Blessings!

FREE Christian Audiobook Download of the Month - Ministries of Mercy by Tim Keller

     This month, Christionaudio.com is offering a FREE download of the book, Ministries of Mercy, by Tim Keller.  If you're interested, click on this link and follow directions to get your free copy - http://christianaudio.com/free.

Blessings to you this week!

Book Review ~ Voices of the True Woman Movement, Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - From Him, Through Him, To Him
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

     As I mentioned at the end of the Chapter 1 review, I was excited to dig into Chapter 2 and find out what Nancy had to say.  If you aren't already familiar with this book, please click this link,  http://littlekissesfromgod.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-reviewvoices-of-true-woman.html, for a book summary and my thoughts on Chapter 1.

     In this chapter, Nancy talks about how a true woman of God recognizes who God is, His greatness, His Sovereignty, His goodness, and His mercy.  She states, "rather than demanding answers to our questions, we should trust that He knows what we need to know - as well as what we don't - and that it is His kindness that withholds from us what would be too grand or painful for us to absorb in our mortal minds."  Wow!  That says much about who God is and how most of us, in our finite minds, have a hard time getting our brains wrapped around that truth.  I completely agree with her.  Even though we cannot fully comprehend who God is, what we believe about Him has much to do with how we respond to life's difficult situations and circumstances.

     Nancy continues, "God doesn't need to consult with anyone about anything.  He never needs input or counsel, needs no guidance or advice - not from me, not from you, not from anyone.  He possesses limitless wisdom.  He is altogether self-sufficient and independent.  He never needs assistance from anything or anyone outside of Himself."  While we may think differently, we don't have to understand why God is doing what He's doing or be informed of His plans ahead of time.  If we know God, according to who the Bible tells us He is, we trust Him despite the way things appear to be going.  We know that God knows what He's doing.  Whether we want to accept it or not, He is in control - we aren't!  "To resist or resent the situation and circumstances in which you find yourself is ultimately to resent and resist God Himself."  No one can thwart the plans of God - His purposes will stand!  As Christians, that should give us great comfort and peace.

     As women of God, Nancy asserts that we should have three responses.  She goes into more detail about each response in the book but I'll list each one here:

1. A true woman lives a God-centered life.
2. A true woman trusts God.
3. A true woman says, "Yes, Lord."

     I highly recommend this book to any woman wanting to deepen her knowledge of the God of the Bible and enrich her relationship with Him.  It has definitely opened my eyes to some thoughts I really hadn't consciously pondered before.  If you like being challenged to think Biblically and counter-culturally, I suggest this might be a book you'd appreciate.  You can purchase the book at Revive Our Hearts here:       http://store.reviveourhearts.com/voiceofthetruewomanmovement.aspx   or on Amazon here:     Voices of the True Woman Movement: A Call to the Counter-Revolution.  

May you be richly blessed today by little kisses from God!

Book Giveaway ~ More Than a Hopechest by Amber Moeller

     Announcing a giveaway offered through RaisingHomemakers.com.  It's a book, More Than a Hopechest by Amber Moeller.  I wanted to share in case you want to enter to win.  The giveaway ends July 31st.  To enter the contest, click on this link: http://raisinghomemakers.com/2010/the-hope-chest-a-legacy-of-love/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RaisingHomemakers+%28Raising+Homemakers%29   

Blessings today!

Ponderings about Midday Connection ~ Into Abba's Arms

     Earlier this week, I was listening to Midday Connection, a Moody Radio live broadcast that airs in the middle of the day to encourage women.  Where I live, it airs between noon and 1pm, Monday-Friday.  I'd say it's a great way to spend your lunch break and gain some spiritual encouragement.  Most of the time listeners have the option to call in to ask questions or share comments.  That's one of the things that I love about their program.

     When I tuned in this past Tuesday (7/20/10), Sandra Wilson was the guest and the title of the program was "Into Abba's Arms."  No, this wasn't a broadcast about the rock group, Abba, from the 70's.  It was about our "Daddy" in Heaven.  Once I began listening, I was immediately struck by something that Ms. Wilson said and it has resonated with me throughout this week.  It was a statement concerning who we want to please, based on John 12:43 which reads "for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."  As Christians, who do we want to please?  Of course, our immediate response, without truly thinking, is God.  But is that genuinely true?  If we take time to think about the actions that characterize us, I think we'll have an honest answer to that question. 

     For example, many times in the past, I didn't think anything of losing my temper...yelling, slamming doors, crying, etc...to get my way.  Who was I trying to please?  Which god of the moment?  Me!  I was my own idol.  How grateful I am that the Lord opened my eyes to that sin, convicted me, and brought about the change that needed to occur in my heart!  Now that was an awesome little kiss from God!  Obviously, I'm not perfect and never will be this side of Heaven, but God is continually convicting me of my sin and molding me more into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. 

     Why is it that we, even as Christians, so desperately desire the approval of others?  It is human nature to want to be accepted.  Also, rejection is a hard pill to swallow.  But even more than that, I believe that we, in the flesh, don't have an accurate understanding of who we are and who God really is - His awesomeness, His sovereignty, His transcendence, His holiness and righteousness, His infinite power, His omniscience, His omnipresence, His infinite wisdom, His faithfulness, His compassion, mercy and grace, His never-ending, undying love for us...need I say  more?!  I could go on but I'll stop there.  If we did have a good grasp of who God truly is and who we are in relation to Him, we'd absolutely, positively, without any shadow of a doubt, desire His approval and have no need or desire of anyone else's approval.  

     So how do we get that accurate understanding of who God is and who we are in relation to Him?  From immersing our minds and souls in God's Word daily, hearing the Word of God being preached, and fellowshiping with other spiritually mature Christians who encourage us and give us biblical guidance.  How else can we expect to walk in truth?  It can only happen through knowing what the Book of Truth, the Bible, says!
      

Image by ryk_neethling via Flickr

     If you'd like to find out more about Midday Connection's daily broadcasts, click on this link:  http://www.moodyradio.org/middayconnection.aspx.  I have been truly blessed by their ministry.   

Trusting you are recognizing little kisses from God today!

Anguish in the Unresolved Yet Hope Abounds

     Angry words fly in the heat of the moment...I feel the vibrations of the floor as she stomps out of the kitchen...then, the slamming of a bedroom door.  I think for a moment while preparing lunch.  I decide to give her time.

     A few minutes later I approach her door, hoping to be allowed in.  She's not interested in talking.  She'd rather be left alone yet she unlocks the door giving me the sign it's okay to approach her - that typically sweet, gentle spirit in our home who has a servant's heart.  I'm not sure what's going on with her these days.  As I lay there on her bed, I wondered - what is she thinking.  Why this sudden onset of anger over the past few weeks?  I just don't know.  God does.    

     I begin to talk calmly and truthfully about the unresolved sin in her life.  I see me in her.  I tell her she's a lot like me when I was younger.  That sin of ungodly anger, that could cripple a marriage, ruin friendships, even cause one to do things that could change the course of their lives, has begun to characterize her demeanor lately.  Sinful anger...it's a sin we can't allow to go unchecked in our children or ourselves.  No matter the cause, we can't excuse or rationalize what God says is sin.  It's sin - period! 

     So I try to talk to her about what is at the root of this torrent of anger she continues to express.  She offers no answers, still not wanting to let me in.  I don't think she knows the cause of her anger.  After all, she is just a child.  But a child that needs to be trained, according to God's Word and in His righteousness.  She knows her unharnessed reactions were wrong.  What to do?!  I'm just not sure.  My heart is torn for her and the fact that I can't fix this issue for her.  I'm in anguish about it and I don't have all the answers.  Yet I know the God who does and He is faithful.  I pray.  I trust the Lord to work it out in His timing.  

     In the meantime, I'll continue to pray, discuss this issue with her when necessary, and point her to the Only One who can truly set her free from this bondage, "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" - Philippians 1:6.  Even though this issue is unresolved for now, we have hope in Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for this opportunity to disciple this child.  God still blesses in the midst of our imperfect lives.    

Trusting you are recognizing God's blessings this week!

Helpful Tips for Organizing your Homeschool

     There are two thoughts that have weighed heavily on my heart lately - organizing our homeschool and instilling a love of learning in our children.  I really believe the Lord has led me to research these areas further and I'm grateful to Him for that.

     In the previous post, I asked others to share ideas of what they do, as homeschooling moms, to instill a love of learning in their children.  You can see those responses in the post below.  

     To gather more information on homeschool organization, I decided to do an internet search and found an article that was posted by Robin Sampson at Heart of Wisdom.  Below are the points I took away from her article.  However, if you'd like to read Robin's thoughts yourself, go to this link:  http://heartofwisdom.com/blog/homeschool-organization-morning-routine/ for the entire post. 

1. Begin by using an hour before bed each night to straighten your home, especially the space you use for school.
2. Each morning, begin praying before your feet even hit the floor, asking the Lord for His guidance throughout the day.
3. Wake the children and dress for the day.
4. Quiet time with God is a must for your soul.
5. Have a to-do list ready for each day.
6. Eat a nutritional breakfast.
7. Complete morning chores (if you choose to do chores at that time).
8. Begin school with a schedule that works for your family.

     For me, the first idea Robin shared would be one of the best tips I could live by.  Waking every morning, knowing the house is neat and tidy, would be such a refreshing and pleasant way to start each day.  No guilt for not picking up, folding leftover laundry from a few days ago, or doing dishes because it would already be done.  How nice that would be!  I really like that suggestion. 

     Of course, as a Christian, the most important thing I can do is spend time with the Lord every morning.  I fail miserably at this.  I hate to admit it but there are times when that happens and other times it doesn't.  On the days when I do spend time with the Lord, I notice that my demeanor throughout the day is different.  There is definitely a blessing that comes from spending time in God's Word.  I'm not saying that's why we should spend time with the Lord but because we want to know Him intimately, to learn more of what He has to say to us from His Word (His love letter to us) and to cultivate our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

     I trust this information has been helpful and encouraging.  I found another link, http://www.heartofwisdom.com/heartathome/homeschool/organization/, on the Heart of Wisdom site that related to organization in the home.  I'm always interested in finding ways to make my life easier and I wanted to share what I found with you.    

Continuing to enjoy little kisses from God each day!

         

Me be Meek and Quiet?

     Recently, I have been doing a summer Bible study with some precious friends.  I've had this book sitting around collecting dust for several years and never took the time to read it.  I'm so glad my friends asked me to join them.  The name of the study - Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell.  PLEASE DO NOT STOP READING YET!  Hang with me here!  Those who don't homeschool, keep reading.  If you don't even have children, don't stop here.  Let me say that this book would be good for any Christian to read, especially moms and wives.  Even though not every mom homeschools, we are always teaching our kiddos something when they are nearby.  It may be love or hate, academics or values, giving or taking, building up or tearing down - whatever we are doing with our children, we are always teaching them something either positive or negative.  They learn from us by default - just by being with us.  So whatever character qualities it is that we are displaying, our children are learning from that.  We, as moms, all "homeschool" in some way or another.

      As I have been going through this study, I have been convicted in my spirit that I do not regularly show a meek and quiet spirit to my daughters or my husband, for that matter.  When I say meek and quiet, what I mean is having the self discipline (which comes from the Holy Spirit) to choose to not display my anger when I am angry.  I think meek and quiet many times is actually the opposite of what most people think it is.  It's not allowing others to run over us like we're doormats.  Instead, it's allowing the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to show others love when we don't really feel like showing love in the flesh.  It's responding to others in kindness, not with an ill temper.  Now, is there any way you could imagine that I would respond to my precious children in such a negative manner???  I know - it's hard to believe I would do such a thing.  

     Since I started going through this book, I have been much more conscious, almost constantly, of my response to my daughters and my husband.  I believe that's conviction and I'm so glad.  I have realized that many times I treat mere strangers better than I treat my own family whom I love dearly.  Why is that?  How can I treat someone I barely know better than I treat my own family members?  We take them for granted and we're teaching them, when we treat them badly, that it's okay to do that.  Well, it's not okay.  God tells us that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).  If we truly love the Lord, we will show it in our actions.  It's not enough to just say we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we must live out in our daily lives what we say we believe.  Otherwise, we're "deceiving ourselves" (I John 1:8) into believing the lie that we can say one thing and live another.  It's just not so.  I feel so blessed that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to this Biblical truth!  

     While it may seem that I was asked to do a review on this book, that is not the case.  I just felt the tug of the Holy Spirit on my heart to share the insights I've gained from this book with others.  I would encourage anyone who's interested in living out their Christian walk daily to pick up a copy and see what God might show you through Teri Maxwell.  You can find the book at this link, http://www.titus2.com/.    

     Thank you Lord for loving me enough to change me from the inside out.  Ah...another little kiss from God!

Grace to you!

              

Book Review ~ Voices of the True Woman Movement, Chapter 1

     Recently I received this book, Voices of the True Woman Movement - A Call to the Counter-Revolution, from Revive Our Hearts Ministry.  If you aren't familiar with Revive Our Hearts Ministry, it's a wonderful ministry to women in today's world that encourages us to live according to God's Word.  Period!  I love Nancy Leigh DeMoss and her way of sharing with women, without condemning us, what God's Word has to say about living for the Lord in today's culture.  She isn't afraid to approach hard topics with women - topics many wouldn't dare discuss today for fear of offending someone.  But these are topics we need to hear discussed according to Biblical standards and Nancy has answered that call from the Lord.  If you aren't familiar with Nancy or the ministry, you can check it out by clicking on the book link above.

     This book is a collection of messages that was presented at the True Woman conference which was in October 2008.  An excerpt from a summary of the book states this:  "Which voices are you listening to?  In a world with so many contradictory and insistent messages, it's hard to know which ones are right, isn't it?  Discover how a heart tuned to hear God's voice can be transformed to glorify Him and impact those around you for such a time as this."    

Chapter 1 - The Ultimate Meaning of True Womanhood
by John Piper

     John Piper begins this chapter with a big bang, mentioning several women who have gone through tremendous loss and/or turmoil in their lives yet have chosen to stand strong in their faith.  Those brief bios were extraordinary stories that gave me encouragement.  Piper's sentiment in this chapter is mainly this - "wimpy theology makes wimpy women."  If we don't know the Lord who was, is and is to come, then we can't live like we do.  One of his quotes states, "Wimpy theology simply does not give a woman a God that is big enough, strong enough, wise enough, and good enough to handle the realities of life in a way that magnifies the infinite worth of Jesus Christ."  I couldn't agree with him more.

     Because his assertion is as stated above, the opposite of wimpy women is the true woman, a woman of God.  The true woman, Piper states, is one who lives so that God may be glorified in her life.  Furthermore, if women were never created, the glory of Christ could not be displayed with the same magnitude that it is because of the presence of women in the world.  Of course, that is also true of men.  Main point - God purposefully created us as men and women.      

     Piper writes a special message to married women and single women and states that "true womanhood can flourish in marriage and singleness."  He also cites scripture references throughout the chapter. 

     Honestly, I didn't know much about this book before receiving it.  Thus far, I am enjoying what I've read and believe I'm being challenged to think about these ideas.  I really like that in a book.  If I can't read something that makes me think when it comes to God and His word, in my opinion, there's no point of reading it!  

     I'm interested to see what's coming next - Chapter 2 was written by Nancy herself.  I can't wait to read that one.

     Update:  For my review of Chapter 2, click here:  http://littlekissesfromgod.blogspot.com/2010/07/book-review-voices-of-true-woman.html 

Blessings!

Summer Marriage Challenge

     A friend of mine (thanks, Amanda) shared with me about a blog challenge today, and I wanted to encourage other women to check it out.  Sounds like a great way to start ministering to our husbands.  The link is:  http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/search/label/Marriage%20Challenge  

     Hope you find it encouraging.  I did.